Fast forward to Thursday, and while the plan is still for Lincecum to start Saturday, Bochy's message had a decidedly different tone.

Told that general manager Brian Sabean said on the radio that Lincecum's next start would likely be skipped if he turns in another lackluster performance in his second-half opener against the Astros on Saturday, Bochy confirmed the statement.

"Yeah, I don't want to put added pressure on him," Bochy acknowledged. "But sometimes you have to do what's right."